Timber Trestle Carries Air Force Bombers

A 12-story high timber trestle, built at Kirtland Air Force Base near Albuquerque, N.M., is the world's largest all-wood structure in terms of board-feet of timber used. Its purpose is to support military aircraft during electromagnetic pulse (EMP) testing simulating the radiative affects of a nuclear blast on airborne craft. The testing is to verify the ability of solid state circuitry on board aircraft to withstand such EMP bombardment. The structure, described in picture and text, was made of glue-laminated, chemically-treated timber with almost all fasteners made of wood. It can support loads of over 700,000 pounds.